Easel



f' E@ E. SHAW- ETL EASEL 2 sheets-sheet? Filed July l2, 1932 E @im m m 4 P Jan'.- 29, 1935.

...o lo lala lo w mWIIl UIIH mvllluH H M Hnd n Patented Jan. 29, 1935 1,989,216 1 vEAsELj.

Elea E. Shaw, Cleveland, and W. Chance, Cleveland Heights, Ohio. Application July 12, 193:2.," sergialeA No: 622,120 5 claims. (CL-{ss-m This invention relates to an easel and particularly to an easel especially adapted for use in the school room for combined instruction and game purposes, although, of course, the easel will have the same utility when used in the home'and other places. -i

An object of the invention is to provide an easelwhich is so constructed that it may be used for the playing of "a number of different games and for. the giving of Various forms or courses o-f instruction, Aeither separately from the playing of the games or combined therewith as a part of the same., A

Another object of the invention is to provide an easel of the character specified and one wherein means are provided for testing the aptitude or inaptitude of a child with respect to various mental activities, such as arithmetimreading, and the like.

Another object is to provide an easel such as specified inthe. rst mentioned object, which is'of simple construction, is compact, can be readily changed to permit, the playing of different games thereon or the use of the same for giving different forms ofinstruction, and which when folded up during non-use provides for the housingof all the parts.

Further and additional objects will become apparent during the detailed description that is to follow of an embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein said embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the easel showing the same in one of itsmany dilferent positions of adjustment for accomplishing certain of its various purposes;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View showing the easel in a different position from that shown in Fig. -1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the easel in a still different position from those illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 and for the accomplishment of a different purpose;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the easel in the reverse position from that shown in Fig. 3 and one wherein a different game may be played thereon; I

Fig. 5 is Yan elevational view of the easel in the position shownin Fig. 1, and looking directly at the same from one side thereof, the removable blackboard insert being omitted, however, in this view;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on line 6-6 of I Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrows, the removablelblackboard insert being shown about to be placed upon the easel;

Fig. 7 is an `elev atpnal View of the easel looking vdirectly at fthesame from the side opposite to that s'hownjnjFig.' 5; i, l, 5

Fig. 8 iS all .-Qlevational viewof Vthe'easel in the position'I s hw'nlin Fig.. 3 and is taken looking .directly at. the v same from the. side thereof;

Fig'. y9 is a vertical sectional view 4of the easel taken substantially upon' the line 9--9 ofFig. 8; n Fig. lOis an elevational view of the `easel taken from'the opposite' side to that shown in Fig. 8, and Fig. '11 isa sectional view taken substantially on line 11'-11v ofFig. 10,..1 o'ok i ng in the 'direction of .the arrows withl the easel in the closedposition The easelv comprises "pairs o'f leg members 20 and 2,1 of equal widthand thickness hinged togie'ther at their upper .endsl by hinge pins or other suitable hinge. membersf22, with the legs of one pair on one side ofthe easel lying outwardly of the.. legs v of the other pair'onfthe opposite side thereof; vT'he pairfof legs 2 0 and the pair of legs 21 have game boards 23 and 24 secured to the edges/thereof, respectively,`that are outermost when the easel is closed, wherefore, the thickness of theeasel'inthe closed position equals Y vthe width ofv one of they legs vplus the thickness of the two4 game boards 23 and 24. The game boards 23 and 2 4 y'are Vof equal length andterminate flush with the outer sidesfof the outermost legs when the easel is closed, that is, the ends of `onevof the game boards are flush with thesides of the legs to. which itisv attached, while the other game board extends outwardly of the sides of the legs to which it is attachedl 'a distance equal to the thickness4 of the legs.

On the innerside of th'eboard 23, and adjacentt), but slightly, above its lower edge, there is secured an outwardly extending ledge or shelf 25 of less length than the distance between the legs to which the board 23 is secured and substan- 1 tially'of the same width as said legs, for a purpose later to be explained. l n

` The board 24 on its inner side is provided with an outwardly extending shelf or ledge 26 extend- 45 ing the fulllength. between the inner sides of the legs to ywhich theA board is secured, said shelf or ledge being substantially the same width as the legs `and being secured te the board vwith its lower side lushwithv the bottom edge thereof. When the easel is folded the legs 21 fit between the ends of the ledge A25 and the inner sides of the legs 20, while the Aledge 25 lies above and ts over the ledge 26, (see Fig.,11).v

The board 23 is'providedwith a plurality of 5.5

openings 27, preferably of various geometrical configurations, suitable numbers or other indicia appearing on the board adjacent each opening on both sides of the board. The board 23 may be used for a bean bag or similar game or it may be used in conjunction with said game for purposes of instruction.

On the inner side of the board 24there is provided a layer of cork or other sitable material 28, adaptedto take thumb tacks 4fo'r holding drawing papers, notices or the like. On the outer y side of the board 24 a plurality of vhooks 29 are arranged preferably in vertical and horizontal rows and there maybe suitable numbers or other indicia upon the board'ladjacent each lof the hooks. The outer side of the board 24-`cal`n be used for a ring toss or othersimilar game boards.

or pictures and strips of paper bearingA certain words, sentences, or numbers may be hung upon the hooks or supported thereby. ,Y

It is also proposed to employ a removable part with the easel, 'which part may be termed' an insert and comprisesa rectangular frame 30 of a width alittle less than the distance between the yinnermost legs when ,the easel is closed and of a thickness a littleless than the width of the legs,

so that .when the 'easel is folded this frame can be slid between the boards 23 and 24 and will rest upon the ledge 25, thus being completely housed in Ithe easel. ,The frame 30 carries a blackboard Bland a sheet of vcork or similar material 32, the blackboard and cork surfaces being accessible from opposite sidesl ofthe insert or frame, so that when fit is desired to use the one or the otherit is merely necessary to reverse the frame.

When the easel is positioned, as shown "in Fig.

1, the insert or frame 30 may be supported upon the ledge 25 with either the .cork sheet or the blackboard located at the outer side.` If the cork sheet is outermost then drawings, paintings, charts, or notices may be secured thereto by suitable means, such as thumb tacks. When the insert is reversed and the blackboard side thereof positioned outermost, it can be put to all the general uses of a. blackboard.

When the easel is in the position shown in Fig. 2, the cork layer 28 on` theboard 24 can be used for purposes similar to the cork sheet of the frame .30, just above referred to.

Whenit is desired to use the easel with the outer side of the board 24. exposed, the legs 20 and 21 are merely swung around to a position opposite to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, that is they are moved to the position shown in Fig. 3.

`The board 24 may` then be used for hook, ring toss, or other similar games, orvariousv educational drills may be carried on by 4means of phrases or instructions arranged on strips that are hung or positioned upon the hooks 29. When the easel is used for a ring toss, or other similar game, the game may also be .extended into a course vin arithmetic by means of the numbers located adjacent each of the hooks 29.

'Ihe easel may be turned around from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, in which position it can be used for a bean bag or similar game, since the openings in the board 23 are now exposed for that purpose. Also, instruction in arithmetic 'may Ybe combined with the game, byplacing numbers adjacent each of the openings. It should also benoted that, when the easel is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the frame 30 may be removed and the board 23 immediately used for the bean bag game.

Another feature of the easel is that when it is positioned, as shown in Fig. 3, a bean bag, or similar game and a ring toss, or similar game may be simultaneously played thereon from opposite sides of the easel.

It will be noted that the easel is so constructed that it is compact and that when it is folded the frame or insert 30 is conveniently received between the boards 23 and 24 and can be stored therein. Furthermore, the easel possesses the advantage that the opposite sides of the boards 23 and 24 may be readily made available for a were enumerated above.

Although-a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described hereinf-itwill be understood that the invention is "susceptible of various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. An easel comprising two pairs of legs pivotally connected together adjacent their upper ends and adapted to have their relative positions reversed, a boardl arranged on each pair of legsintermediate the ends thereof, said boards being secured to corresponding edges ofthe pairs of legs, and a ledge on the leg engaging side of one 'of said boards for supporting a removable member such as a blackboard.` l l j i 2. An easel comprising two pairs of legs pivotally connected together adjacent their upper ends, a board arranged on each pair of legs intermediateA the ends thereof, said boards being secured to corresponding edges of the pairs of legs, and a Aledge on the leg engaging side of each board for supporting a removable member such as a blackboard, said ledges being arranged at different `heights to clear each other in the folded condition of the easel. f

3. An easel comprising two pairs of legs pivotally connected together' adjacent their upper ends,

a board arranged Aoneachpair of legs intermediate the ends thereof, said boards being secured to corresponding edges of the pairs of legs, a

ledge secured to the leg engaging side of said first mentioned board and of a length such that its opposite ends are spaced from the inner sides of the legs slightly greater ythan the thickness of the legs, and a ledge secured to the leg engaging side of the second mentioned board, of a length such that its opposite ends engage the inner sides of the legs, and at a height such as to clear said iirst named ledge.

4. In combination, an easel y comprising two pairs of legs pivotally connected together adjacent their upper ends, a board arranged on each pair of legs intermediate the ends thereof, said boards being secured to corresponding edges of the pairs of legs, a ledge secured to the leg engaging side o'f said rst mentioned board and of a length such that its opposite ends are spaced from the inner sides of the legs Aa distance slightly greater than the thickness of the legs, and a ledge secured to the leg engaging side of the second 4to fit within said compartment when the easel is closed and to be supported upon either of said ledges in certain open positions of said easel.

5. In combination, an easel comprising a pair of inner legs and a pair of outer legs, two aligned pivot pins at the top of the easel, each pin connecting one leg of each pair to one leg of the other pair, a board attached to the legs of each pair, said boards being spaced apart when the easel is folded to bring the legs of the two pairs into register, a ledge supported upon the easel at the bottom of one of said boards substantially bridg- 10 ing the space between the boards when the easel is folded as aforesaid, said easel being adapted to be turned upon said pivots to a reverse position to expose the other sides of said boards, said ledge being adapted to support a separate board when the easel is folded together with the ledge inside, or when the legs are turned upon their pivots into the reversed position with the ledge outside.

ELEA E. SHAW.

CHARLES W. CHANCE. 

